Abstract:

Starting point of the studies:
The aim of vocational training is to provide trainees with sufficient competence to solve (complex) vocational problems. Most commercial curricula reflect training objectives aimed at the promotion of complex problem-solving skills. In order to prepare for these demanding vocational requirements, teaching and learning arrangements that reflect the complexity of everyday working life are required as well. Furthermore, examination tasks have to be adapted in line with the curricula and the learning process, as otherwise examinations lack curricular and ecological validity.
Within the framework of the ASCOT funding line initiated by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, various projects have developed and validated such examination formats (Beck et al. 2016). In the current project we are conducting an intervention study with trainings on technology-based, problem-oriented task development for examiners, teachers and trainers. The aim is to anchor such task formats in the examination system.
Central findings from two projects in ASCOT (DomPL-IK and CoBALIT-Transfer):
In the DomPL-IK project we developed and evaluated a technology based learning and testing tool for industrial clerks that was based on a holistic competence model. The complex tasks were situated in the domain of controlling/accounting.

Central evaluation results are:
(1) An expert survey on the facets of the competence model supports the ecological validity: all facets were assessed as central to solving typical occupational problems.
(2) The tasks are ecologically valid. As assumed, the actual target group of industrial clerks can solve the tasks better than trainees from related occupations.

In the project CoBALIT an enterprise simulation was developed, which consists of a collection of realistic complex business tasks. Central goals of the competence measurement were to examine the dimensionality of commercial competence, and to examine to what extent business core competences required in different commercial occupations can be modelled across these occupations. The empirical results show that the transferability of the test arrangement, which was developed for a specific commercial occupation (industrial clerk), to another commercial occupation (freight forward and logistics services clerk) can be successful.
Overall, the findings show that reliable and valid test formats could be developed in the two projects, which now need to be implemented in practice. This is done in a training study.

Method of the training study:
In a first step, textbooks, curricula, and previous examination tasks are analysed in order to identify concrete deficits in existing tasks and training courses. The training study builds on this. The training is based on characteristics known from training research as supporting training transfer (duration of the measure, inclusion of external expertise, proximity to action, opportunities for reflection). To evaluate the effects of the trainings, we use a factorial design with the factor specifications “technology-based/media-didactic training”, “technology-based/media didactic training and task development training” and “control group”. First results will be reported at the conference.

References:
[1] Beck, K., Landenberger, M. & Oser, F. (Hrsg.) (2016). Technologiebasierte Kompetenzmessung in der beruflichen Bildung – Resultate aus dem Forschungsprogramm ASCOT. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann.

Keywords:

Technology based learning.